Is it safe to live in the rural areas outside of Higuey, DR?

I  thnk it's a good rule of thumb  to live in not so isolated areas. If you rent for a while in the area you want you can get a good idea.

I live on a farm and am a little isolated however my wifes family is near. Alto my wife insisted that we buy a shotgun

Watchman 300 - 500 USD a month

cheaper than putting family there - you will have to pay for their food, lights and whatever services they use which will total more. They will more than likely think it's their house ( trust me seen it first hand twice ) as well and want their name on the paper to show your loyalty. Find a gated community in new development and use 60K and you will be able to get something 1000 m2  or pay a watchman and be nice to him and avoid all the issues above if you really really want to live in the country side. You more than likely will have zero issues as long as it doesn't look like a castle and you dont tell people thats your house.

Just curious on why you would want to do this. Unless you are buying huge area and transforming it for many expats it can only lead to problems transplanting small or limited expats in.

As always everything depends on location and how you live.  I absolutely would not leave a farm property unattended for anything other than a short time. And I mean more than a day.

There are good things about Higuey, the court house and the Basílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia.  It's fine to visit but...if your lifestyle and wealth is more than $1000 a month (a salary most locals only wish for) personally I would never stay in a place without several layers of protection including dogs and guns, and security guards.   We have read about expats who have been staying in secured homes and communities, and they have lost their lives without any good reason.  Don't take these kind of chances. Read the newspapers and you will see what we are talking about.

There are areas in the Dominican Republic that are less safe than others, just like every other country in the world, including the US. For example, a person of color should not wander off at night in southern rural areas without knowing his/her whereabouts and most individuals would not feel safe in the South Bronx, NY even during the day!

I think common sense should prevail; simple as that! Know the area; do your research. As for leaving your property unattended for extended periods of time, again, this would be similar to many other parts of the world. The good news is that in DR it is easy to hire someone, inexpensively, to care for your property while you are away.

I would suggest that if your land is big enough built a guest house for a room and board of a caretaker. That is what I plan on doing on a property I have in a rural area (only 15 mins outside SD but it feels like the country and looks like the country. I love it as a get away from the city but yet close enough to get there quickly.

Install some cameras and try to fence up or a wall as a deterrent. But as everyone is saying  make sure you know who you have as a caretaker and also which area you are at. there are a lot of people who live in "El Campo" and feel perfectly safe. I personally love being out in the countryside. Good luck!

@Karin1: In response to your posting and as always "it Depends", I know of killings in the higher class areas of Punta Cana Village, Cap Cana...etc. It's everywhere in the world. Some places try to hide it, but it's there still the same. There are certain types of people that just call attention to this type of action whether it be what they wear or how they act or what type of activities they are involved in, but that doesn't mean that it is the same for everyone. I don't live my life in fear and I don't think others should either. Erring on the side of caution just makes good sense and street sense is not only necessary in the DR but everywhere in the world. I started coming to the DR 25 plus years ago. It was the first place I ever travelled alone and almost 20 years ago when Punta Cana was just a few resorts and nothing like it is now, I got off the plane in Punta Cana and hitch hiked (with my luggage) to Higuey to see my (at that time) GF. I didn't speak more than about 2 words of spanish. Things were worse then than they are now and I can tell you my experience then was a positive one. As a matter of fact, some people that I met on that trip are still my friends today. Sometimes you just have to live your life otherwise what is the point? I am not saying to be carless or stupid, just don't be so afraid of trying something that you might just miss out on the best part of your life...

Cheers,

@DominicanadaMike Well said Mike!

@DominicanadaMike excellent!

I agree, well said!

yes its true, nobody should live their life in fear surrounded by dogs and security guards